V is for victory, view and value. That's the idea behind new venue V Cafe, housed inside Khor Fakkan's Resistance Monument, which symbolises the sacrifices made by the Sharjah city's people during the Portuguese invasion of 1507.
Sat on a mountain peak, the striking structure comprises of intersecting columns reaching into the ground and topped by the shape of a helmet. A building made of glass can be seen within, where you'll find a memorial and exhibition highlighting the resistance against the Portuguese, as well as a screening room where visitors can watch a film called Khor Fakkan 1507.
Now, there's also V Cafe.
"You cannot find these kinds of cafes in UAE," V Cafe co-owner Ahmed Almarzooqi tells The National. "It's in the mountains, it has a 360º view and it's all glass. You can see the Sun, you can see when it's foggy or rainy. People feel cosy when they sit here and there is no limit for their eyes."
Through these windows you can see the mountains, the desert flats, the city of Khor Fakkan and even the sea.
"It's a historical place," says Almarzooqi. "You can visit for a museum, views, food. It's a cosy place, it's a full package."
The cafe is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the menu spans an international selection, with everything from burgers to pizzas and pastas. Visitors will even spot some Japanese influence, and future plans include having an Emirati breakfast day.
Much has gone into choosing the coffees served, with beans from Kenya, Colombia and Brazil among what's on offer.
It's only been open since January 26, and yet the team has already played host to Sheikh Salem bin Abdulrahman Al Qasimi, chairman of the Sharjah Ruler's office, who attended the opening, followed by Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.
"Every day, half an hour after we open, we start a waiting list," says Almarzooqi. "It's busy, and we hope it stays that way.
co-owner of V Cafe
"We have a lot of people coming from different emirates. As I talk to you I can see cars with licence plates from Oman, Abu Dhabi [and] Dubai. We also have all kinds of different nationalities coming too, not just locals.
"It's already become like a touristic venue," he says. "It's not only a coffee shop, it's in the mountains, it's a unique place."
Almarzooqi, who works for Dubai Tourism and whose career background has been in events, opened the venue along with his two partners, Mansoor Alnaqbi, a barista and former coffee shop owner, and Bu Fawzi, a well-known local influencer.
"We had the concept in our mind, but we were looking for a nice place. We wanted to give people good vibes and a good experience."
They spent two months looking for the location, before they heard the Resistance Monument was available. "We met with the museum department [Sharjah Museums Authority, which manages the monument] and they saw what we can do, then it took us nine to 10 months to put it all together."
The interiors were designed by local artist Elygraf, who Almarzooqi says also designed Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Ruler of Dubai's majlis at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Next on the agenda is to create a special menu and concept for Ramadan, although Almarzooqi isn't giving any details away quite yet.
In the meantime, the trio will be focusing on their vision: "To be known for incorporating the UAE’s history into modern-day attractions in the most creative way."
See photos of the UAE's desert pop-up cafes:
